The dead of night
by Alli Pop
Summary: Cordelia/Buffy: It's only at night that Cordelia can admit she cares, but is it enough? Slight AU. Femslash, Don't like, Don't read.


Title: The Dead of Night

Pairing: Cordy/Buffy, Buffy/Angel, Dawn/Faith

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of BtVS. I'm just borrowing them.

Summary: It's only at night that Cordelia can admit she cares, but is it enough? Slight AU.

A/N: Faith isn't a slayer in this tale but she is present (because I love her), there's no Anya but there is Dawn only she isn't the key and she's only a year younger than Buffy (Who is 18) and the Summers family have lived in Sunnydale since Buffy was 5 years old. Don't bug me if you don't like it, I change details cause I find it interesting.

*The start of our tale, AKA the prologue*

"My shoes! I just bought these yesterday you...you...extremely hideous excuse for a vampire!" Cordelia shouted as she ran through one of the many cemeteries in Sunnydale, a vamp hot on her tail.

In hindsight, Cordelia realised that cutting through a graveyard to save ten minutes wasn't the smartest thing she'd ever done. Neither was the whole walking alone at night thing, but desperate times called for desperate measures and without her car the cheerleader had no other way to get to the Bronze, and to not be seen at the club on a Friday night was something she couldn't risk with her tenuous grip on her now limited popularity. After the damage dating Xander had done, plus the added stigma of being cheated on by such a lowly excuse for a boy, Cordelia had worked hard to get back even the tiniest shred of her former life. It certainly hadn't been easy, especially with Harmony running the show but catering to the blondes every demand helped, which is why Cordelia had been cutting through the cemetery to save some time because she was running late and Harmony really hated it when she was late.

"So glad I decided on tennis shoes instead of heels when I left," Cordelia said to herself as she looked behind her to see how close the vamp was, only to find he wasn't behind her anymore. Breathing out a quick shaky breath, she turned back around and let out an undignified squeak as she collided with an immovable object and fell back.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play in graveyards after dark?" Buffy stared down at the prone form at her feet.

Cordelia stood up, refusing Buffy's outstretched hand of assistance, and brushed the dirt off the back of her pants. "Oh it's just you."

Buffy looked mildly offended. "Glad to see you to Cordelia."

"No I meant that in the best possible way." Cordelia took a step closer to the shorter girl and grasped her hand firmly. "Help me?"

Buffy shook her hand loose and took a step back. Being too near the former cheerleader was never a safe option in Buffy's opinion. Cordelia may not have been a vampire or demon but she was certainly her own special brand of evil.

"Help you with what? And while we're on the subject, why should I help you in the first place?" Her tone was harsh and dismissive, but Buffy lacked the real fire of conviction to make it believable that she didn't really care.

Before Cordelia could respond the vampire that had been chasing her came from off to the side and lunged at the two girls. Buffy pushed in front of Cordelia and took the full force of the impact and landing on her back with a dull thud. Cordelia stumbled out of the way and watched as the vampire tried to pin Buffy's hands down at her sides. He made short work of that and went for the kill bite but Buffy shifted just enough to dislodge his hold on her arms. She punched him in the face and while he was still dazed, flipped him over so she was straddling him. Buffy pulled a stake out of her jacket and made short work of dusting the vamp.

"They just don't make them like they used to." She sighed and started brushing the dirt and dust off the front of her pants.

"I was a hapless and innocent victim." Cordelia came up behind Buffy and lightly brushed the dirt off her back.

Buffy shivered at the light contact and quickly pulled herself away. "Huh?"

"You asked why you should help." Cordelia shrugged her shoulders and started walking towards the gates of the cemetery. "Thanks for the save."

Buffy watched as Cordelia walked away with a small wave over her shoulder. It had to have been one of the most pleasant yet confusing encounters with the former cheerleader that Buffy had ever had in the years that she had known her. She shook her head to get refocused on patrol and then moved on through the line of graves, the episode with Cordelia forgotten from the Slayer's mind for the time being.

I promised myself that unless it was a completed story I wouldn't post anything more until I finished the two WIP that I already have up, especially seeing as how I can't seem to get passed the wall in my mind. This just wouldn't leave me alone though *sigh* just forgive me if I'm slow to update this please? And review! I want to know if anyone is reading and if it's worth continuing at all in the first place.


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